Arthur Lopez – “San Miguel Salvador del Mal” St. Michael, 40″h

17"w x 40.5" Tall

$ 9,500.00

Arthur Lopez is one of the leading santos carvers in New Mexico.  This piece continues his series, “Pillars of Strength”.  Each piece is intricately carved and part of a “pillar” This piece is entitled, ‘San Miguel Salvador del Mal”, or, “St. Michael Savior from Evil”.  It depicts St. Michael and the dragon.  It is exceptional in the detail on the wings and the serpent.  The layers of carving and colors on St. Michael’s tunic are amazing.  The spear in his hands has the Virgin on Guadalupe painted in retablos on the front. The tongue of the serpent is metal and also removable.  The piece is hand carved and painted with wood and water-based pigments.

Arthur said of “Pillars of Strength”:
“A pillar is a bridge between Heaven and Earth. The vertical axis both unites and divides the two. Someone who can be trusted with your stability gives comfort and support through difficult times.  Each piece has the architectural idea of a “pillar” and is a distinctively new direction for my art”.

The process for Arthur’s work is bound in tradition.  After the piece is carved, is covered in gesso (a glue made from rabbit hide) which is allowed to dry and then sanded.  It is painted with both natural and watercolor pigments.  Natural colored pigments, such as brown, are derived from black walnut hulls.   These are the time involved and historic foundations for his work.  

We are pleased to present this amazing body of work from one of the leading Santos artists in the country.  Arthur’s artistic expression continues to break through the history of Traditional Spanish Colonial art in New Mexico. Each piece demonstrates his expressive ideas by utilizing and honoring traditional techniques to arrive at his uniquely contemporary one-of-a-kind creations. Consistently Arthur has pushed the boundaries of the New Mexico Santero tradition that has placed him a the forefront of his craft.

Arthur’s work is found in numerous museum and public collections, including Albuquerque Museum of Art & History,  Denver Art Museum,  Freedom Museum (911 Memorial at Ground Zero), Harwood Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art,  Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, and the State of New Mexico Permanent Art Collection.  Most recently he received the New Mexico Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2022!

Category: Tag: